# How To Choose the Perfect Family Car When we first learn to drive our most desired first vehicles tend to be a little more for show than for practicality, especially if we learned to drive as a teen. Young drivers usually have a strong preference for cars which are fun to drive as well as ones which have a good range of special features, though as we mature our preferences and priorities often change. There comes a time when many people must look for a car which is more suitable for family use, and family cars tend to have a range of features and specifications which make them perfectly suited to family use. ### What makes an ideal family car? When looking for a family car, most people will prioritise the following: * Reliability * Fuel economy * Capacity for passengers and luggage * Safety ratings * Safety features * Build quality * Practicality * Cost Safety is perhaps the number one priority when choosing a new family car as you will be transporting a very precious cargo: your family. Modern cars are designed with safety in mind and are tested to a high degree in all kinds of collision scenarios. This gives drivers a great peace of mind that their family will be as safe as possible on the road. Most of these safety specifications are legal requirements, and so you don’t really need to worry too much about a newer model car being unsafe. Older cars often feature a rigid steel body which does not crumple to absorb impacts as new cars do. This makes them less safe should they ever be involved in a collision, so people looking for a safe family car might want to avoid older models for this reason. In Europe, cars are graded from one to five depending on their safety spec and crash test performance. A rating of 5 is considered the safest. Next, you will need to choose a car which is practical for you and your family. If this is your primary vehicle it is likely that it will be used for carrying your family as well as other journey types such as commuting and running errands. Look for a model which has the right number of seats so that everyone has space, and that can handle your luggage requirements. On board tech can also make a family car that bit more practical too, and popular options include Bluetooth connectivity, on board navigation, entertainment and infotainment systems and more. Cost is also an important factor for anyone looking for a family car. Many families prefer to buy brand new cars, though there is a much larger market for used family cars such as [***used Vauxhall cars***](https://www.spoticar.co.uk/second-hand-cars/vauxhall) and there is one good reason for this. Cars are notorious for depreciating in value very quickly. It is almost universal that a car will depreciate in value by about 15% within its first year, and this jumps to roughly 50% within the first three years. Essentially this means that a car buyer can save a lot of money by considering used car options rather than buying something brand new. If cost is a factor for you then choosing a used car can make it much more affordable to get your hands on a high spec family car in great condition. Buying from a used car dealer usually means that the car has also been rigorously quality tested and most come with a fair warranty to protect you should any issues become apparent. Fuel economy also needs to be factored into a car’s expenses. Choosing a fuel efficient engine which is suited to your journey lengths is the best way to make sure you are not paying too much in petrol or diesel per mile. Due to environmental and performance laws, most modern cars are designed to have a much better fuel economy than their older counterparts, so if you want something economical look for something newer. Family cars also need to be reliable and not be prone to breaking down. Car brands depend on a reputation for manufacturing reliable cars which are relatively problem free, but do your research on any particular car model which has caught your eye before you buy it. Look for information on how prone it might be to breaking down, and how costly repairs tend to be. #### Resources: * [Used Peugeot Cars - Cardiff Metropolitan University](http://metportfolio.cardiffmet.ac.uk/view/view.php?id=372) * [Used Citroen Cars - Fife College](http://fifemahara.co.uk/view/view.php?id=288116) * [Used Peugeot Cars - Launchora](https://www.launchora.com/story/the-best-cheap-option-for-a-used-peugeot) * [Used Citroen Cars - Muck Rack](https://media.muckrack.com/portfolio/items/14721252/doc-434294583-resource.pdf) * [Used Vauxhall Cars - Oregon State University](http://photohistory.oregonstate.edu/works/studies/buying-the-best-used-vauxhalls) * [Buying a Used Peugeot - Portfolium](https://portfolium.com/entry/checklist-before-buying-a-second-hand-car) * [Used Peugeots for Sale - Smithsonian](https://learninglab.si.edu/collections/tips-for-buying-a-used-family-car/VqjSUaehWdyiYIO3) * [Buying a Used Citroen - Techsite](https://www.techsite.io/p/2600180) * [Used Citroens for Sale - Vingle](https://www.vingle.net/posts/4017052) * [Buying a Used Vauxhall - Wakelet](https://wakelet.com/wake/TVBfLBoxip7_PN8zoqAOJ) --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. 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